Historical Framework- The Whale Rider

The Whale Rider shows many different aspects of the Maori culture throughout the movie. The characters in this movie were very respectful of the environment that surrounded them, which is a custom of the Maori people. They spent a lot of time outdoors during the majority of the movie. I also noticed that there was a lot of story telling being passed down. One of the customs this culture carries is the exchange of stories, which this movie did a good job portraying. In the presentation we learned that it is common for people to follow in their ancestors' footsteps. This was especially prevalent when Koro was teaching the boys about culture in hopes that they would carry these traditions with them and keep them alive.

In past times, the Maori people didn't see women as leaders, which is why Koro did not want Paikea to be apart of these lessons.

Another strong historical connection in this movie is that the Maori people believed that they came from the 'whale rider.' This was carried on throughout the movie and the Maori people were very concerned for the whales. The entire community attempted to help the whales when they were on land, and were all devastated when they could not succeed.